What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the highest household income ($56k).

Wells River has the most affordable homes ($171k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellows Falls	Wells River
People
Population	2,891Highest	340Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT	42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average
	Wells River and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%	17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bellows Falls and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bellows Falls and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%	0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,086±$2kHighest 31% below VT	$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kHighest 38% below VT	$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109Highest 16% below VT	$900±$336Lowest 27% below VT
	Bellows Falls and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Highest 12% below VT	$4,154Lowest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	47.6%±14.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Wells River and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	38.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 38 yrs older than VT	1938 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 14% below VT	34 minHighest 43% above VT
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Highest VT: 16.9%	5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Bellows Falls and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.